Safety Orientation Savvy

Article
Jul 1, 2000

Safety Orientation Savvy

What importance do you place on safety?

By Michelle Garetson

July 2000

The first days and weeks in a new job can be very stressful as the new employee tries to get settled and get busy with what he or she was hired to do. Given that the aviation industry appears to be doing more work with fewer employees, getting a new hire up to speed quickly should be a top priority. One way toward achieving this goal is to provide them with a thorough safety orientation presentation their first or second day on the job.

First impressions count

Offering the safety orientation early on reinforces not only the importance placed on safety, but also the professionalism of the organization in the mind of the new hire. A comprehensive safety orientation plan for new hires is a necessity and a valuable tool that sends a strong statement to new and potential employees. Remember: as there seems to be fewer qualified applicants answering the want ads, those that do walk through your doors are evaluating you as much as you are them. A professional approach to safety may be the benefit that puts your organization ahead of the rest, rewarding you with a new, enthusiatic employee.

Isn't having a safety program enough?

No. Just like any program, having it is only part of the equation. You need to be diligent in that program's orientation, reinforcement, and evaluation and be flexible in all three of these areas in order to keep what works and delete what doesn't. If you only offer a 20-minute video on safe practices in the workplace or a series of safety posters and expect that to cover any and all situations, you will not be adequately prepared for the real-time, real-life unsafe situations that lurk in the hangar and on the ramp.

The signs are there

Signs and banners are only indicators and reinforcers, not a replacement for a safety orientation program. If your maintenance operation relies solely on the assumption, "If it's posted, they'll be safe," the truth is, you'll soon be posting one more sign - "Help Wanted."

Safety is resource management

At this year's AS3 show in Tampa, FL, Ric Peri, NATA's manager, technical services, gave a presentation on "Safety Management for Aviation Maintenance," which incorporated a variety of regulatory and informative data on how supervisors can better prepare the facility and staff to function efficiently and safely. Peri reminded everyone about the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, which states that "...each employer shall provide a place of employment free from recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or physical harm." Each employer must also comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for industrial safety. (Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1910).

Peri suggested that safety is resource management in that having a strong safety program helps to manage people, time, and money. Unsafe practices lead to workers out sick or hurt, which in turn costs the company in time lost for current and future projects, as well as the revenue not realized as a result.

New employee checklist

Items that should be on the agenda in a safety orientation briefing include: Ground Safety, Industrial Health, and Hazardous Waste, and all of these topics have subpoints such as fire safety, personal protective equipment, and hazardous waste management.

Ground Safety

Ground Safety involves Hazard Communications and Fire Safety. Hazard Communications are required by regulations and personnel need to be trained on every chemical to which they may be exposed to in the workplace. Did you know that Wite-Out® correction fluid and Super Glue™ can be considered hazardous materials? Employers should use the orientation briefing as an opportunity to train employees in the company's label and warning system as well as on the material safety data sheets (MSDS) and their location.

Fire Safety is often overlooked when a new employee come on board. Not everyone knows how to use a fire extinguisher or where they are located. All employees need to know what their function is in a fire situation. Maybe it's simply "get away from the building." There may be tasks assigned to employees, such as who contacts the fire department and who's responsible for a head count once everyone has assembled in the designated meeting spot outside the facility.

Chemical spills and other emergencies should also be discussed as to what is expected of employees with respect to acting and reporting during and after such emergencies.

Industrial Health

Aircraft maintenance facilities are noisy places. Power tools, aircraft engines, test equipment are in constant use, all day, every day. Hearing Conservation programs are necessary in this environment as prolonged exposure to those noise levels can lead to hearing loss. Employees need training in how to protect their hearing on the job with safe practices and proper gear.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is an important safety topic that should incorporate training in its use as well as the care of equipment. Employees should be told the procedures for obtaining new PPE, which tasks require PPE, and procedures for cleaning, repairing, and replacing PPE. Also, any shared PPE is required to be cleaned after each use.

Other items in the category of industrial health involve explaining to personnel what to do in the event of an injury or illness, what to do in the event of a non-injury accident, how to deal with an unsafe or unhealthy condition, and which tasks require a safety observer. Location of first aid kits and medical facilities should also be addressed.

Hazardous Waste

Hazardous Waste Management training should include location and use of spill kits, how to report incidents and accidents, and proper storage and disposal procedures.

General housekeeping

Personal clean-up rules and housekeeping rules need to be established early to avoid problems later on. It should be explained that housekeeping is incorporated with and not separated from the maintenance task. A "clean as you go" routine should be incorporated in the training and reinforced on the job.

Recurrency training

The orientation briefing should be anything but brief given the amount and importance of information that employees need to know in addition to their other job skills

A full day or two half-days would be a good start for safety orientations with a follow-up not long after initial training. The first orientation will probably be somewhat overwhelming to the new hire, so follow up reinforcement will be necessary and appreciated. We have recurrency training on aircraft, and therefore we need recurrency training in safety.

Everyone believes themselves to be a safe worker; however, without proper reinforcement of good behavior, short-cuts and complacency can soon find their way into the shop area. A thorough safety orientation program with scheduled follow-up sessions establishes and reinforces the norms of the company, while projecting a professional approach to all employees.

Safety Products and Services Listing

The following is a listing of companies that provide safety products and services. Please contact them directly for more information.

NGK Berylco, PO Box 13367, Reading, PA; (610) 921-5015; NGK manufactures Berylco Safety Tools. Made of beryllium copper, hey are high strength as well as non-sparking, non-magnetic, and corrosion resistant. Berylco Tools have been tested and certified by Factory Mutual to be non-sparking.

Nilfisk-Advance America, Inc., 300 Technology Dr., Malvern, PA 19355; (610) 647-6420; www.pa.nilfisk-advance.com; Nilfisk features a complete line of specialized industrial vacuum cleaners and dustless power tools for the collection of hazardous and nuisance materials. The line includes: wet/dry vacuums, air-operated vacuums, explosion-proof vacuums, and three-phase equipment. All units are available with optional HEPA or ULPA filtration.

Pelican Products, Inc., 23215 Early Ave., Torrance, CA 90505; (800) 473-5422; www.pelican.com; Manufacturer of high quality, unbreakable, waterproof flashlights that are safety approved for hazardous location use and a full line of protector cases that are unbreakable, watertight, airtight, and corrosion proof. Cases are made of a structural foam resin shell that always looks new, and is unaffected by dents, scratches, and corrosion.